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Bookshelf (MARDEK)
Bookshelves are interactive objects in MARDEK. When interacted with, they provide background information about the locations, characters, and concepts of the series, as well as non-informative flavor text. Interacting with certain bookshelves unlocks certain Encyclopaedia entries. List of bookshelves Advenshers ''Found at: Heroes' Den - Abandoned House'' :It's a scrapbook containing Mardek and Deugan's various adventures. What with its numerous spelling mistakes and rambling, puerile prose, it's not a thrilling read and is unlikely to ever be published. Geography of Belfan ''Found at: Deugan's House'' :There are four main continents on Belfan, as well as numerous smaller continents and archipelagos. :The continent of Hadris is the largest in the world, and most of the human cities and nations are here. Goznor is located at the southernmost point, on the northern shore of the gulf connecting Hadris and Fengue. :Fengue is south of Hadris, separated by only a small channel of water at the northernmost point. It is scarcely inhabited and the majority of its terrain is desert. Aeropolis is its capital. :Nole'Oth is a continent to the north, known colloquially as the 'Northern Wastes'. It is perpetually covered in snow and is largely unexplored. :The continent of Tharadia is said to exist across the oceans to the west, but to this date no expeditions have returned from there to verify its existence or detail its composition or population, if any. The Crystals ''Found at: Deugan's House'' ''Unlocks: Fire Crystal, Water Crystal, Air Crystal, Earth Crystal, Light Crystal, Dark Crystal :The elemental crystals were created by YALORT when he made the world, and they provide Belfan with all of its magical energy and keep it alive. They consist of pure elemental magical energy, and as such have the power to grant people extreme power; for this reason, they have been sought by Adventurers and Villains alike. :All of the crystals are located around the gulf separating Hadris and Fengue; it is said that this general area is where YALORT came down to the newly-crafted Belfan and breathed the gift of life into it. :The Fire Crystal possesses the power of heat and flames. It keeps the world warm so that things can grow and thrive, and its power is harnessed every time a flame burns, magical or natural. It is located in a temple in Fengue. :The Water Crystal keeps the waters pure and flowing and the rains pouring. It is vital for life on Belfan. It is also responsible for Man's rational thoughts, or so it has been said. It can be found in Hadris. :The Air Crystal keeps the winds blowing, and the air clean. The city of Aeropolis was built around the temple in which it can still be found. :The Earth Crystal is responsible for the lives of beasts and plants on Belfan. Its energy keeps them growing and breeding. It is held in a sacred temple within the Lifewood in Fengue. :The Light Crystal, being the physical manifestation of the Goodness in Man's heart, is the greatest treasure of Goznor, kept within the Castle of Goznor. :The location of the Dark Crystal is unknown; this is probably for the best, since it is the crystal most often sought by those who wish to inflict evil on the world. The Adventures of Social Fox, Vol. XVII ''Found at: Meraeador's Lab'' :Lo! Heare these Tales of the Grand Adventurer Social Fox! The Greatest Adventurer alive in these Days that are Now! Of his deeds many Books have beene writ! He is Such a Great Guy! :There was thise one tyme where he totally Slew this Mighty Dragonne! It was a Foule, Evile, Darke Beaste who had Capturede a Princesse - one of the Fineste in all the Landse - and only the Heroisme of Social Fox could Save her! :We must all Sing Praises of this great Man amongst us, to whom we all owe Our Lives many Times!!! The Cogs Of The Mind ''Found at: Meraeador's Lab'' :It's a technical book that you'd surely not understand or enjoy reading. An Elementary Treatise on Determinants ''Found at: Meraeador's Lab'' :It's a book, apparently about maths. You don't need to read that. The Elements ''Found at: Goznor Magic Shop'' :Everything and everyone in the world has an innate affinity to at least one of several magical elements. People and spells are all monoelemental, and their Element determines their power, potential, and, in the case of people, their personalities. :There are seven known elements, divided into three distinct groups. There are the Natural Elements, which Nature is composed largely of; there are the Moral Elements, which are born from the essence of free will and the spirit of life and choice; there is also the odd Spiritual element group, which eludes many thaumatologists to this day. :There are four Natural elements - Fire, Water, Air, and Earth - two Moral elements - Dark and Light - and only one known Spiritual element - Ether - though Ether's existence is largely considered mythical. :Fire is the element of energy and devotion, of passion and strength. Fire people are strong-willed, opinionative, confident and powerful. They're driven, and strive to achieve goals. They can be stubborn. :Water is the element of intellect, of calmness, of beauty. Water people are often laid-back, and 'go with the flow'. They're often good-looking, intelligent, and perceptive. Many have strong magical power, making ideal Mages or Wizards. :Air is the element of adventure, of wandering, of drifting, of dreaming. Air people are dreamers, but they're floaty and rarely focused on one thing for long. Many travellers and wanderers and Adventurers are of the Air element, 'living on the edge of the wind'. :Earth is the element of wisdom, common sense, and hardiness. Earth people are usually tough and practical, and most certainly 'down to Earth'. They are wise and understanding, trustworthy, honest, and reliable. They can be extremely devoted to a cause or way of life, and are also good at solving puzzles. :Light is the elemental epitome of goodness and justice. People with this element will live to Do Good, helping people wherever they can. They live for others moreso than for themselves. They are the most helpful, kind, and caring of elements, and often become Heroes. :Dark is the elemental epitome of evil. Dark people are inherently self-centered and manipulative, often violent. They only do things to benefit themselves, and care little for other people. They are the polar opposites of Light people. :Ether is still a mystery, as it occurs so rarely as to be considered almost mythical. Not much is written about it, and what is written is not highly reliable. :There are rumours of an eighth element, but that is all they are; rumours. Myths. There's no known evidence to support such claims. :The personality traits mentioned for each element in this book are the most common for those elements, but are by no means the only personalities such people can have. Good-aligned Dark-elemental people are not unheard of (take the Adventurer Bernard Stormkiller, for example). :Being creatures of free will, our destinies are for us to choose, not our inherent elements. Elemental Compatibility ''Found at: Goznor Magic Shop'' :Though the elements all exist in a delicate natural balance, each one has an element that opposes it, an element that it must woefully submit to, by the accord of the Magical Laws Of The Universe. :Fire consumes and feeds on Air, Air whittles away and erodes the Earth, Earth absorbs Water, and Water douses flames. Thus is the cycle of the Natural elements. :The Moral elements, being antipodes of each other, polar opposites, oppose each other in a unique way. Light floods, consumes and thus eradicates the Darkness, but in turn Darkness puts out the light. These two elements are both strong and weak against each other simultaneously. :Not much is known about the other elements' traits, if indeed they exist at all. Is Ether strong or weak against anything? We do not know. :Though these elemental traits are most often exploited on the battlefield, they can cause influence in day-to-day life too. A fire-elemental person will inherently (though unwillingly) be more submissive to a water-elemental person, and that water person will be more bossy and demanding around fire people, exuding an unwilling and unconscious dominance. Such is nature. Elements and Breeding ''Found at: Goznor Magic Shop'' :Elemental traits can also come into play when it comes to love and sexual relationships. Your elemental affinity plays a large part in determining who you're attracted to, and how well relationships with others will turn out for you. :Males, being the dominant gender, also like to be the dominant element in relationships; thus they are attracted to females of the element they are strong against first and foremost. Females, secretly lusting to be dominated and ravished, are attracted to men of the element superior to themselves. So such matches work rather well. :People of the same element can also work excellently together; similarity at the most fundamental levels has many times been the cause for a great love blossoming and flourishing. :Such things as have been mentioned apply only to people with Natural elements; for people with a Moral element, different rules apply. Naturally, they are attracted to people of the same element as themselves, but also to any and all of the Natural elements. Because of this, Morally-elemental people have more choice when it comes to finding a partner that's right for them. :A relationship between the two Moral elements - that is, a Light and Dark couple - CANNOT work, both emotionally and physically. The two people will never get along or fall in love, and even if they did, a child could never physically be conceived in such a relationship. :When a child is born to other couples, however, its element is inherited from its parents. In a dominant-element relationship, the child is of the dominant element. In same-element relationships, the child is of the element both parents share. In Moral-Natural relationships, the Moral element takes dominance. :Consider these things when looking for a partner. Asking for someone's element before anything else is a great way of getting an idea of whether anything will happen or not! Grand Adventurers ''Found at: Castle Goznor Dorm'' :Adventurers may be a common sight throughout Belfan, and all may perform helpful deeds for various individuals and communities, but few are actually remembered for their actions. Those few that are become excessively famous, and are known as the 'Grand Adventurers'. :There's generally only one or two around at any given time, and everyone knows their names. They've invariably quested across the lands and performed heroic acts far more impressive and on a grander scale than any average, forgettable adventurers. :It's every adventurer's dream to become the next Grand Adventurer, known throughout the world and treated like demigods wherever they travel! Defining Deities: YALORT ''Found at: House in Canonia'' :YALORT, the Omnidragon, is a draconic deity widely worshipped throughout Belfan. The worship of YALORT is called 'Yalortism', and followers of Yalortism are called 'Yalortians'. :Yalortism is the most popular of religions in the world because of the widely-held belief that YALORT was the creator of Belfan, and many of the stars. It is believed that the Elemental Crystals were given to the newly-crafted world by YALORT directly, bestowing the world with the gift of life. :YALORT's name should always be fully capitalised, it's blasphemy to disobey this rule. Words derived from his name, however - like Yalortian or Yalortism - do not follow this rule, and it is taboo to capitalise them, as this would be suggesting that a Yalortian deserves as much respect as YALORT. :YALORT himself is generally depicted as a large dragon with vast dark feathered wings textured like the cosmos, emerald green fur all over, black stripes, and piercing red eyes with which he sees all. Defining Deities: SOLAK ''Found at: House in Canonia'' :SOLAK is the deity of the sun and the stars, the glowing ball of fire in the sky that provides warmth and light. Though SOLAK did not create Belfan, it is said to have created the sun. Concerning Sirens ''Found at: House in Canonia'' :Sirens are a variety of monsters that lure sailors to their deaths by tempting them with their beautiful Siren's Song and their deceptive appearance - that of a beautiful naked young woman. :I've heard they're dead sexy. Sexier than the sexiest human woman ever! I wish I could see one! I'd ogle it 'til the cows came home! Yowza! However, they're so dead sexy that they make you dead by being sexy. GET IT?! BWAHAHAH! ...It made ME laugh! I wonder if this book will get published? :Also, included on the following pages are sketches of Sirens. I'm sure THAT will get this book published! ;Mardek :! ;Emela (if in party) :! ;Elwyen (if in party) :Like what you see, Mardek? I think I have a bit of Siren blood in me, y'know? Don't you find that... interesting? The Ethereal Crystal ''Found at: House in Cambria'' ''Unlocks: Aether Crystal'' :The Ether Crystal is the Heart of Belfan. A doorway through which souls can pass from the soulplanes into living, corporeal bodies in this world. :Without the Ethereal Crystal, all life would be soulless and emotionless. One who has power over the Ethereal Crystal has power over the world itself, and it is for this reason that it is highly sought by Heroes and Villains. However, its location is quite the mystery indeed! The Enticing Adventures of Egg-Faced Harold ''Found at: House in Cambria'' :This is some kind of fictional story book, but you don't want to read it. Really, you don't. It's not as exciting as the title makes it sound. Honestly. Bookshelf ''Found at: House in Cambria'' :This one doesn't contain anything of real interesting. Just a bunch of mathematical treatises, children's nursery rhyme anthologies, arthropod erotica, and lengthy dictionaries. Nothing at all worth looking at. Bookshelf ''Found at: Xantusia Equipment Shop'' :It's a bookshelf full of various magazines and annuals about weapons. It includes such eccentric models as a handheld paper fan, some kind of hairclip or headdress, a megaphone, and some kind of strange sword-combined-with-a-gun. Who'd use such ridiculous things?! Bookshelf ''Found at: Xantusia Equipment Shop'' :It's a bookshelf full of various magazines and annuals about armour. The 'Chainmail Bikini Special Edition' catches your eye. Bookshelf ''Found at: Xantusia Inn'' :It's chock full of reptoid pornography. Oh yes. It really is the good stuff, too, not like the cheap stuff you usually see on bookshelves. Impressive. Bookshelf ''Found at: Xantusia Inn'' :There are fiction books on the shelf, all seeming to be about warriors and hunting and honour and so on. Bookshelf ''Found at: Xantusia Item Shop'' :There's a book here mentioning how shamans are usually proficient when it comes to making special, unique potions, but that seems like rather a sweeping generalisation to you so you have your doubts as to its veracity. Bookshelf ''Found at: Xantusia Item Shop'' :There are books about... items. Yes. Not very interesting, really. Bookshelf ''Found at: Xantusian Blacksmith'' :There's a book here called 'Blacksmithery for Stupefyingly Dense Dolts And Intellectually-Deficient Ignorami'. Hmm. Bookshelf ''Found at: Dwelling in Xantusia'' :It seems to be full of sketchbooks containing what seem like vigorously drawn pictures of various creatures, man and beast, all showing off rather obvious and embarrassingly exaggerated male anatomy, drawn in exquisite detail. Oh my. Bookshelf ''Found at: Sslen'ck's Dwelling'' :There seem to be records stored here about the village, and about its inhabitants. It seems that each reptoid has their own personal family file, containing the exploits and statistics of various warriors, young and old. There seems to be centuries of history here. Bookshelf ''Found at: Sslen'ck's Dwelling'' :This bookshelf contains the personal journals of many chieftains, including Sslen'ck. It'd be an invasion of privacy to even read a word of them! Lifewood ''Found at: Xantusia Library'' :There is a forest somewhere, rich in life. It has been said that spending time in this forest ceases the ageing process due to the sheer amount of ambient vitality, yet it is not a wise idea to plan to live there, as abundant life means abundant danger for the unwary. :The forest - the Lifewood - grows around the Temple of Earth; the Earth Crystal within is what gives the forest its vivacious enchantment. :One of the most notable things about the Lifewood is its strong connection with the Dreamrealm. While a copy of all parts of the material world exists within that sliver of a realm between this world and the next, the imitation is fragile, foggy, and vague; objects appear and disappear, or just never are or were, if there is insufficient thought to conjure them up. :The abundance of life in the Lifewood creates an abundance of false life in its oneiric counterpart, creating a vivid environment known by a distinct name, the 'Dreamwood'. If you possess the ability to Dreamwalk, you really should visit there at least once! It's amazing! The Crystals ''Found at: Xantusia Library'' :The Elemental Crystals were created by the deities to serve as 'organs' for the Planet. They were crafted by the Elemental Deities; VOLKOS forged the Fire Crystal, CRYSOOSUNA forged the Water Crystal, HWOUK forged the Air Crystal, KROGHMM forged the Earth Crystal, ARIENDEEN forged the Light Crystal, and SHUMBRA forged the Dark Crystal. :A world is formed by a Creator deity - such as YALORT - who asks SOLAK permission to use a star, forms an Aethereal Crystal as a doorway for souls and the heart of the world, and convinces the Elemental Deities to each bequeath a crystal of their respective natural and moral elements. Worlds without life do not require the moral Crystals, however. :Using the power of these Elemental Crystals, the deity is able to erect mountains, flood basins to form oceans, create an atmosphere, fill the world's veins with magma to give it heat... :Once the world is forged, the Crystals are housed away in Elemental Temples, yet retain much of their power. Mortals who seek them out can use them to achieve a fragment of the gods' power. As such, they are highly sought by Heroes and Villains alike. The Lost Monastery ''Found at: Xantusia Library'' :There is a tale of a Yalortian monastery that once existed in the Lifewood, where priests came to pray to YALORT and meditate for hopefully eons free from the worries of senescence... It seemed ideal - isolated, enchanted, an aura of calm peace perfect for prayer - but their dream was shattered when a rock fell from the sky. :They thought that YALORT had given them this gift as a way of thanks for their piety, and took it back to the monastery, where they put it on a pedestal out of appreciation. Priests took up a habit of praying near the stone, in order to get closer to their god. :In time, however, the priests began not praying near the stone, using it as a conduit, but praying TO it as an idol. It is said that this angered YALORT, and this may very well be true, as over time the priests succumbed to a baleful madness, and their monastery was lost forever, swallowed by the woods that they once called home. :Thus, idolatry came to be known as a sin against the Omnidragon. Dreamstones ''Found at: Xantusia Library'' ''Unlocks: Dreamstones :Thoughts and dreams are born in the Dreamrealm, a segment of the lower Astral, the Figrealm. There, they remain, eternally, once created; the brain merely acts as an interpreter, of sorts; the control panel with which the immaterial mind controls the corporeal shell. :Though the Dreamrealm is distinct from the Material Realm, they 'overlap', with the Dreamrealm being like a sort of astral film over the top of all that physically exists. As such, on occasion, mindstuff - thoughts - can leak from the Dreamrealm and into the Material. Unable to exist as pure thought, it crystallises into a physical form, as a perfectly smooth gem-like orb; a 'Dreamstone'. :These stones contain a copy of the thoughts or dreams of a living creature, and can be accessed by a mind close to the one from which the crystallised thoughts originated, if the person holds the orb in their hands and concentrates. This allows them to be witness to secret, private thoughts, or real events in which they did not actually take part. Resurrection ''Found at: Xantusia Library'' :If a living being dies, the soul lingers in the body for a short duration; generally up to about a day. The exception is when the body is broken beyond repair, in which case the soul leaves instantly. :If the soul is still in the body, Light-elemental Resurrection magic can be used to restore the creature to life. However, if the soul is gone, the only way to bring the creature back is via the Dark Arts of Necromancy. :Most necromancy merely involves animating a corpse with a 'pseudo-soul' made of energy inside it; they have no minds and are not beings. These are the common skeletons and zombies that you see wandering around in crypts, as feral remnants from experiments or battles long past. :However, it is possible to use necromancy to draw a soul to a body, bringing it to life. It can either be the body that the soul left, or a different soul and body entirely; both are possible. :This type of magic tends to be forbidden and difficult to cast, however; there are few who could pull off such a feat! Wraiths ''Found at: Xantusia Library'' :Some creatures don't have bodies of flesh and bone, but of pure etheric matter, soulstuff. Ectoplasm. Call it what you will. :These creatures are known as Wraiths. :They could be described as 'sentient undead', in a way, yet they live lives just as we do; only with different needs and stages and so on. :There is rumoured to be a village of Wraiths somewhere, watching over the Aether Crystal... But not much is known of this. Elemental Relationships - A Response ''Found at: Xantusia Library'' :You may have had the misfortune of picking up and reading through a sordid tome entitled 'Elemental Compatibility', or maybe the similarly vile 'Elements and Breeding', both by some nitwit of a drunkard who claims to have authority on such matters. Bah! :It's pure hogwash! Idle speculation! How it got published is beyond me. There's just NO TRUTH AT ALL to any of his unfounded, ridiculous claims. Elements dictate nothing about us except our weaknesses in battle! That's all! :Why, I once knew a lovely lady who I had quite a nice affair with even though she was Water and I was Fire! ...True, it didn't LAST long, AT ALL, but the point is that it happened! :Don't trust what you read in books! Except this one! His theories are theories and nothing more; what element you are does not decide how or what you can fall in love with! Humans ''Found at: Xantusia Library'' :You may have come across the bones of one of these soft, pink-skinned mammals in your travels, and found them to be quite brittle. This is because these odd, surface-dwelling creatures evolved so feebly that they have to rely on their wits, not their strength, to survive. :This focusing on the mind has put them at the forefront of civilisation-building and inventing, which generally tends to give them a superiority complex. They think that they are the only race that matters, that they are versatile and capable of anything, and that they are simply the best creatures on the planet. :If you ever see one, give it a kick on its tailless rear end for me, won't you? Fairies ''Found at: Xantusia Library'' :Fairies. Elusive, :Tiny Magical Creatures, :Fey; Nature spirits. :They live in forests. :They speak only in haiku. :Often mischievous. The Crystal Tyrants ''Found at: Xantusia Library'' :The history of Belfan is a rich tapestry of peace and misery. A chessboard patchwork of the moral elements, you could say. There are times of great cooperation and artistic expression, where civilisation thrives, yet they seem to be balanced out by times of sheer tyranny when it wasn't safe to be outside. Or inside, for that matter. :Many of these times of utter torment are occasions when an evil soul takes it upon himself to achieve world domination... and while these sorts are a copper a dozen, lurking down every back alley and in every spooky-looking house, occasionally one of them actually succeeds, and rules with an iron fist of dread. :Nine times out of ten, their ascension comes about via the acquisition of the Elemental Crystals of the world. These mighty deific artefacts can empower a wielder, and with each additional Crystal, their power grows ever stronger. :Though they have homes in the Elemental Temples, it is not uncommon for them to be wrenched from their rest to either heroic or megalomaniacal ends. Either to stop villains or become them. :The vile souls who enslaved the world using the power of the Crystals have come to be known as the Crystal Tyrants. Their reigns have varied in length, and invariably come to an end at the hands of an assorted bunch of ragtag heroes, who put aside their differences and learn the true meaning of friendship and teamwork. Baron von Doomkill ''Found at: Xantusia Library'' :When reading records of the life, times and personalities of the various Crystal Tyrants that Belfan has seen in its long and bloody history, you tend to find that you're seeing a lot of repitition. :They all sound very much the same. They like to wear dark garments, monologue about their schemes, rant madly about how they want to TAKE OVER THE WORLD... They have the distinct but unfortunate inclination to taunt rather than kill Heroes, which is often the cause of their downfall. :Baron von Doomkill was no exception to the rule. He was a tower of a man - tall, broad and strong - and liked to dress in dark armour with skulls all over it. His sadism was well-known, and his minions plentiful. Typically, he dwelt in a dark, stormy castle at the top of a dark, stormy peak. :He seized the Crystals, and ruled the world for a decade before meeting his end at the hands of one 'Placid Stoat', a plucky teenaged farm boy who went on a grand adventure to stop the tyrant after he foolishly destroyed the boy's dear peasant village. :With an eclectic bunch of eccentrics he'd met along the way accompanying him, the Hero was able to defeat the Villain and return the world to peace once more, despite the fact that said Villain had all of the world's crystals and they, well, didn't. Such is the power of friendship and love and all that happy stuff that people frolick in fields about. :The Not-At-All-Good Baron, being a by-the-book sorts of chap, swore, before being vanished to a void or what-have-you, that this was not the end of him, and that he would return one day. Whether or not he will remains to be seen. Elemental Temples ''Found at: Xantusia Library'' :When the planet was forged, it was without civilisation or artificial constructions. It was but a raw, earthy sphere, ripe for life. However, despite the fact that there were no living creatures upon the face of Belfan, there were the Elemental Temples. :They were built by the gods to house the Elemental Crystals, and are much the same today as they were at the beginning. They are maintained by the Elemental Deities to some degree, so that they are never destroyed. If they fall, they rise once more almost instantly. :The Fire Temple was built at the heart of a volcano, Crimson Peak; the ideal place for the Heart of Fire. The Water Temple rests at the bottom of a lake. The Earth Temple can be found deep within a forest of life. The Air Temple floats above the clouds; a portal on the ground connects to it. :Around the Light Temple, an early human settlement grew, eventually erecting a castle around their most precious of relics. The Dark Temple once served as a gathering point of the vile and unjust, and a pilgrimage destination for those with evil dreams, but it has since been lost beneath the shifting sands of a mountain that was dissolved with magic; from a Dark Crystal Tyrant, ironically. :There is rumoured to be a seventh temple, of the seventh element, aether, yet nobody knows anything about it. It is rumoured to be guarded by wraiths. The Dreamshrine ''Found at: Xantusia Library'' :There is a mysterious shrine, deep within the Dreamwood, which exists in the Dreamrealm, in place of the Earth Temple. It seems to be made of what looks like turquoise crystal, and signs suggest it is devoted to Dreamstones. :Little is known about it. It seems to have a purpose, but any Dreamwalkers who investigate it report that it doesn't seem to respond to anything that they do. Miasmal Chalices ''Found at: Xantusia Library'' ''Unlocks: Miasmal Chalices'' :The Miasma that makes up the body of monsters is essentially just raw elemental essence, left over from the creation of the world. The type of energy determines their element. :Being energy as it is, it can be stored and put to use. An ancient civilisation seems to have designed the means to do just this, using devices known as 'Miasmal Chalices'. They attract the energy of dying monsters and store it as pure, useable magical energy. The Nature of Monsters ''Found at: Xantusia Library'' :Monsters are not alive. Realising and accepting this clears up a whole LOT of tricky ethical issues, it really does! :They have no souls, no minds; they are merely belligerent phantasms conjured up by chaotic residue left over from the creation of a world (deities aren't perfect!), which is known as Miasma. :Miasma is invisible; undetectable without the correct magical means. Yet it is from where all monsters are born, fully grown, in an instant, whenever you aren't looking. It's why they seem to appear out of thin air as you wander around; this is actually what happens. :Monsters are formed when the Miasma is agitated by the negative thoughts of a living mind; new 'species' of monster are born on occasion when minds have a particularly strong effect over the miasma. :Monsters do not think or feel, and they have no internal perceptions. Though they physically exist as real creatures would, they are merely illusions, plain and simple, and when they expire, they simply fade and return to the Miasma from whence they came. :As such, you should not worry about doing away with them; they only exist to cause torment and are born from your mind anyway! You're doing an injustice by letting your *mental rubbish incarnate* run free to terrorise others! The Forbidden Union ''Found at: Xantusia Library'' :"Oh, Julio!" moaned Cynthia as she caressed his rippling muscles slenderly. "I love you! I love you, I love you, I love you!" :"But... this is not right. This cannot be." They both knew that their fathers would be appalled, yet they did not give but a damn. "I'll show you something else that cannot be!" grunted Julio sexily, eyes blazing with fiery passion, as he dropped his fashionable pantaloons. "My gosh! It's so- :(Ahem. Not your sort of thing, really.) M. C. Frunz ''Found at: Aeropolis Museum'' :Mahfuh 'Crabby' Frunz was a well-known classical composer of a strange thing called 'music'. Well-known for his utterly unremarkable pieces such as 'Hair On My G-String' and 'Piano Sonata Concerto-Symphony Waltz Sonata Again Suite No.6498 In The Key Of D squared + 4x + 6 And Other Keys Too (Probably Most Of The Ones On The Keyboard Actually)'. :Thankfully, he is long dead now. Root Magic ''Found at: Aeropolis Museum'' :'Root Magic' is the name given to the fundamental elemental magic that all other magic spells are drawn from. It contains immense power, but cannot usually be directly tapped by mages. :Magical spells are devised by manipulating various energies in unseeable but omnipresent dimensions that writhe within our own. Specific threads are teased from a writhing mass of energy, then the power is drawn on when casting that spell. :Think of the Root Magic as some kind of giant glowy ball, from which extend many coaxed-out energy strings, which themselves split into smaller strings and smaller strings still... These strings then extend into reality when the spell is cast, and... :Actually, this is sounding like nonsense, isn't it? Truly, magic is beyond mortal comprehension. Suffice to say, however, that Root Magic is powerful indeed, and sought by those who are covetous of such great and powerful things. The Manta Civilisation ''Found at: Aeropolis Museum'' :There are tales that humans, reptoids, and all current sentient denizens of this world were not the first to build up societies; no, not by a long shot. We are merely building over the ruins of many dead races that came before us. :One of these extinct civilisations was known as the Manta; a magically gifted, intelligent, philosophical race who sought to understand the cosmos. They developed impressive technology that can be seen only in dungeons and museums these days. :It is said that they were wiped off the face of Belfan when a calamity fell from the skies; a mighty beast known only now as 'The Annihilator'. It was unstoppable, no matter what the Manta tried, and it destroyed their greatest cities one by one with ease. :The greatest wizards and sages of the Manta gathered together to stop this threat if they could using their amazing magical skills, and their efforts reaped a reward... but it was not quite what they had intended. :They managed to tear its spirit - its mind and soul - from its carnal shell, hoping that this would at least cause the beast to cease its physical devastation, but this was not so! The body rampaged, wild as ever - wilder, some say, due to its mindlessness - and the spirit lived on too, somewhere; the Manta now had TWO foes. :It is said that once the Annhilator had annihilated all that could be annihilated, it merely stopped, and rested, deep in a forbidden, secret dungeon, the location of which is unknown... thankfully. If unleashed upon the world once more, it would spell the end of us all, that is for sure. Flying Discs ''Found at: Aeropolis Museum'' :Throughout history, there have been stories of strange saucer-shaped objects flying through our skies! They have been called by many names... Clouds, discs, flying saucers, mill wheels, plates, just to name a few. :Nobody knows where they are from, or what they want with our little world. Are they the chariots of the gods?!? Their eyes to watch us, to monitor us as we sleep so we don't misbehave?!? Bookshelf ''Found at: Aeropolis Museum'' :Like every other bookshelf, this one contains only a single book with only a few paragraphs worth of text in it. What does it say? Oh, nothing important. You don't want to bother reading it, really. Really. Trilobites ''Found at: Aeropolis Museum'' :Trilobites are a species of bipedal, sentient arthropod that evolved alongside humans. They're very secretive, so little is known about their culture, biology, or general way of life. :As such, the remaining pages in this book about them will be devoted to crude drawings of my pet Gruul, Susan. Isn't she the cutest?!? Good and Evil ''Found at: Aeropolis Museum'' :'Good' and 'evil' are just words used to describe psychological constructs that are relative to specific cultures and differ between them, such that what's 'good' in one society's eyes may be 'evil' in another's? :Ho ho! What nonsense that is! Everyone knows that Good and Evil are absolutes, largely defined by the Light and Dark elements. We all know that any action can be definitively and unquestionably defined as Good or Evil or Neutral regardless of circumstances, with no exceptions!! :Furthermore, we all know that people are born Good or Evil and their life follows their absolute moral leaning without change. Why, this is just the way our world works, and nobody can tell me otherwise! :'Good', of course, generally refers to putting others before yourself, and 'Evil' is the opposite, putting yourself first. Neutral is a happy medium. What do you mean, 'it all depends on circumstances'? You sure do insist on talking nonense, my boy! :What do you mean, 'who am I talking to'? Bah! Enough of this! I'm writing a book! Now, as I was saying, Good is good and Evil is evil and that is that. :How do you know whether you're Good or Evil or wishy-washy Neutral? Well, when you meet a stranger, do you gut him or give him all your generic gold coins? What do you mean, 'neither, and those are ridiculous extremes'? I've had enough of you! Shut up! Law and Chaos ''Found at: Aeropolis Museum'' :It's misleading to refer to 'Law and Chaos'. I for one think we should call them 'Order and Chaos', because that gives a clearer idea of what they're meant to mean. Yes. That's my proposition and everyone should follow it. :For you see, 'Lawful' doesn't mean adhering to specific laws and rules. No, it means following order, being predictable, holding to some code or another or preferring things tidy and planning things in advance. A Lawful individual would perhaps have honour, plan strategically, be polite, and whatnot. :Chaos, on the other hand, is, of course, the opposite. Chaotic individuals are free spirits, spontaneous, rarely keeping promises and doing what they feel like in any given situation. They're more moved by emotion than reason, and tend to have a general disregard for tidiness. The Chaosbringer ''Found at: Aeropolis Museum'' :There are ancient writings... scrawled in ancient ruins... all over the world... of Belfan... They speak of... a CHAOSBRINGER... a CHAOSBRINGER... a CHAOSBRINGER. What do they mean...? That, we do not know... We do not know... CHAOSBRINGER. They will come... One day... Deities: VGAARKLAK ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :VGAARKLAK, The Mauler of Bones, is a Chaotic Evil War Deity, usually depicted as a humongous, wingless, bipedal dragon clad in blood-red platemail, wielding a giant serrated sword in each of its four muscly arms. :It is a god of violence, anger and destruction, not of honourable combat between code-following warriors. People who pray to it have no qualms about fighting dirty. Deities: PLOMHARG ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :PLOMHARG, The Friendly Wheatherd, is a Neutral Good deity of harvest and farming. Usually ignored by adventurers and thrill-seekers, PLOMHARG is nevertheless a very important deity in the world. :He appears as a humble, jolly fat man wearing whatever farming garments are common in the vicinity. He exudes no sense of threat or judgement, coming across as someone who just wishes the best for his followers. :Farmers the world over pray to him for good harvests, and if they are sincere in their motivation, then they are generally blessed by him without fail. Deities: LUTINUET ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :LUTINUET, The Bard of Stars, is a Neutral Good deity of music, generally depicted as a silver-blue octopus-like creature, with a different instrument in each of its many arms; a one-man band, of sorts. :Musicians tend to pray to it for luck in their performances, and it grants them an enthusiastic energy and the ability to play with deep emotion. It's also generally thanked when people are born with innate music talents. Deities: BRUUMTIESSAL ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :BRUUMTIESSAL (broo-UM-tih-ESS-'l), The Helpful Listener, is a Neutral Good friendship deity. She's similar to AACIUPHI in that she can be called upon as a friend, but while AACIUPHI is more of the extroverted 'woo! Let's party!' inclination, BRUUMTIESSAL is more introverted and calm; a listener rather than a partier. :She is prayed to and called upon by people in distress, who need guidance in their life, who just want someone to listen to them, or who feel lonely and in need of comforting. :She manifests as either as a meek young girl, or a plump, elderly, bespectacled mother figure, depending on which the prayer would feel most comfortable around. Both are friendly, calm, and not judgemental; they forgive and help no matter what's wrong. Deities: The Moral Ones ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :SHUMBRA, The Caliginous Warlock, is the Elemental Deity of Darkness. He's usually depicted as a humanoid adorned in ceremonial black feathers, with a blind head, a snout full of fangs, twisted into a malicious snarl. He is thoroughly evil, and deceitful; he is the shadow that lurks in the night. He thrives on fear and misery. :He tends to be worshipped by tricksters, thieves, and sadistic or selfish people, as he helps out people who do things for their own benefit without considering anyone else. :SHUMBRA's antipode is ARIENDEEN, an abstract deity consisting of a collective mass of pure souls. It is hard to picture it, as it transcends the normal dimensions, but if you were to try, you could think of it as a ball... An orb of vibrant light at the centre being the deity's essence, with layers upon layers of smaller, orbiting souls. :ARIENDEEN is averse to selfishness. It favours those who put others first, and honours them after death, if they so wish, by allowing their soul to join with it, becoming part of its mind. Deities: The Nature Ones ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :VOLKOS, The Everburning Flame, is the deity of fire. He is usually depicted as a humanoid with the head of a dragon or lion, or some other fierce creature. He is violent and unpredictable, yet grants his favour to pyromancers, or any who seek to harness the powers of fire. :CRYSOOSUNA, The Graceful Mermaid, is the overseer of all things relating to the element of water. She is depicted as a calm, beautiful maiden; sometimes with the tail of a fish, other times not. She is serene, and worshipped by those who want peaceful lives, or those who travel by the sea and wish to avoid storms. :HWOUK, The Zephyr of Change, is the chaotic air deity. It cannot decide whether it is male or female; it manifests as either depending on its mood. It is prayed to as a god of travel, adventure and change, and as such is a favourite of adventurers who 'live on the edge of the wind'. :KROGHMM, The Stalwart Titan, is the deity of Earth. He manifests as a golem, a giant, a tree-man, or similar nature spirits depending on the circumstances. He prefers that life be taken slowly, seriously, and calmly, and his worshippers tend to be the ones who agree with this philosophy. Deities: AACIUPHI ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :AACIUPHI (aah-KYOO-fih), The Darling Heartsaint, is an archetype deity for emotions such as love, lust, friendship, social gatherings, teamwork, fertility, and other such positive bonding emotions. :She is depicted as an intensely beautiful woman with golden skin and hair, wings made of golden feathers, and a golden wand, which she uses to cast Love Spells. :She's popular amongst infatuated youths, who pray for her help in getting their first, awkward relationships started. She's also popular amongst motivators and partygoers. :AACIUPHI's moral alignment is Chaotic Good. Deities: ABOMONATOROS ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :ABOMONOTOROS, The Unconditional Abhorrer, is the perverse counterpart of AACIUPHI; a deity of hate rather than love. Though she is rarely worshipped by the sane, she does still have a lot of work. :She is depicted as a direct counterpart to AACIUPHI; a mockery of the Darling Heartsaint's glamourous appearance. Her wings and hair are black and ragged rather than gold, her skin is pale or dark grey, and her figure is more skeletal than voluptuous. She's generally seen with a frown, to contrast AACIUPHI's cheery grin. :ABOMONATOROS is a deity of hate and loathing, but not of anger. She represents a cold, simmering distate for things rather than a forceful, aggressive desire to destroy. As such, she is not *evil*; merely discontent. She hates evil as much as she hates good. :Her name is used as an interjection of intense dislike. Saying 'I hate you!' may be harsh, but 'May ABOMONATOROS glare at you!' is a way of saying that you really, REALLY and utterly hate that person's guts. :ABOMONATOROS' moral alignment is True Neutral, as she hates everything equally. Deities: What ARE they? ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :Deities are entities on a higher level of existence than we mere mortals. They are the overseers of the universe; eternal benefactors who watch, maintain and create the world and creatures around us. They come in three major types. :There are the Higher Creator Deities, such as YALORT, who design creatures and worlds, shaping the elements of the universe to their desires. They cannot cause anything to appear; they can merely mould what already exists. :The Mid-Level Elemental Deities represent and have control over one single element in particular. They have supreme power over that element, so they are the ones that grant its use to the Creators. They are the makers of the crystals. :The Lesser Archetype Deities are formed from minds, filling niches that society needs to be fulfilled. They represent standards of what people should be (and as such they are not omnipotent or perfect, 'out of reach'), or they exist as things to worship to for certain specific needs. :The names of deities should always be fully capitalised. However, the words to refer to their followers do not follow this rule; YALORT's followers are Yalortians, for example, not YALORTians or YALORTIANS. This is because the capitals show the power of the deity's name; derived forms are no longer the name of the deity and lose their power. :Deities are non-physical entities, and are as such formless. However, when they interact, they tend to manifest as the same forms in order to be recognised. As most people have never seen a deity, though, any artwork depicting them is speculative; a way of putting such a floaty idea into something we can comprehend and recognise. Worship ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :The worship of mortals is important to deities. None of them demand it, and there are no consequences for ignoring all of the deities entirely, but there are rewards to be had from devotion. :Worshipping creator deities devotedly tends to grant the ability to cast certain spells, such as YALORT's Green Lightning. The eyes of a devoted follower also glow with a solid colour, seeing beyond the mere physical, as the person becomes enlightened. :Praying to the Natural Elemental Deities tends to grant good fortune when in that element. Sailors may pray to CRYSOOSUNA, adventurers to KROGHMM or HWOUK. Pyromancers may pray to VOLKOS. :Praying to the Moral Elemental Deities tends to be done out of desire to be more 'Good' or more 'Evil'. A charitable, well-wishing person may pray to ARIENDEEN for the strength to become a better, kinder person, while a villain may pray to SHUMBRA that he not get caught or defeated, or upset by his ill deeds. :The archetype gods exist specifically to be prayed to for certain purposes, and grant slight but significant boons to those who ask of their aid. LUTINUET may empower a musical performer, for example, and AACIUPHI may assist a besotted young man in asking a girl out by giving him confidence. Deities: YALORT ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :YALORT is a Higher Creator Deity, responsible for the creation of Humans, Reptoids, Belfan and so on and so forth. He is represented as a large green dragon with black stripes, piercing red eyes, and wings textured like the infinite cosmos. :His symbol is the Eye of YALORT, and his followers are know as Yalortians. Yalortism is the largest organised religion in the world by far. Deities: SOLAK ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :SOLAK is a Higher Creator Deity who used to be worshipped extensively across the world. He was thought to be responsible for every sunrise, so people prayed - even sacrificed - to him in order to bring the sun up the next day. :Over time, people began to realise that the sun came up whether or not they prayed to SOLAK, and eventually most people lost the drive to worship to him at all. There just wasn't any point wasting their time. :This has left SOLAK feeling rather disgruntled and unappreciated, it seems. At least there are a small group of devoted Solakians in the world to this day, who tend to follow strict lifestyle rules such as celibacy and isolation. Dreamrealm, Vol. 1 ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :The Dreamrealm - also known as the Figrealm - is a layer of reality between the True Astral and the Material Realm. It is where dreams and thoughts take place. :Everything in the Dreamrealm is formed from mindstuff, figstuff; the stuff of thoughts and dreams. The layout imitates that of the Material realm, due to the fact that it's formed from the thoughts of mortal creatures. :However, it is not alive as the Material world is; it is merely an IMAGE of our reality, caused by our thoughts. This means that it can sometimes differ from the Material if thoughts about the Material change or are not strong enough. :For example, you may explore a field in the Dreamrealm which you know is empty in the Material, only to find a building there. It may be that this building was destroyed in the Material, yet it lingers in the Dreamrealm because the inhabitants thought so strongly and often about its existence, yet nobody has really thought about its nonexistence very much. :Objects in the Dreamrealm do not move; they merely appear and then gradually fade, based on the thoughts of mortal minds. Dreamrealm, Vol. 2 ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :We enter the Dreamrealm every time we sleep and dream, but don't realise it. When this happens, rather than wandering around the image of the Material, we instead find ourselves in separate 'bubbles' of mindstuff where our subconscious thoughts create unique worlds to explore. :Our conscious minds are feeble when compared to our subconscious minds in terms of creating in the Dreamrealm. We find ourselves in worlds that we did not willingly create while dreaming, yet if we try to conjure up an ideal situation, it tends to end in failure. Dreamrealm, Vol. 3 ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :It is possible, with training, to Walk in the Dreamrealm while conscious. This is difficult, and usually limited to certain skilled Shamans and mages. :Once there, it is difficult to shape the environment to your whims, despite the malleable nature of the mindstuff. This is due to how weak the conscious mind is when it comes to creating or shifting. :It is technically possible to move physical locations by travelling into the dreamrealm, then out again at a different point. Warping works this way; you shift into an isolated pocket of the dreamrealm, then your subconscious mind causes that reality to 'fold in on itself', landing you at the destination point, at which point you slip out into the Material. :It would theoretically be possible to travel across the entire universe, or even into other realities, using this method, but human subconsious minds are simply not strong enough for this. Deities: QUIQUI ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :QUIQUI, The Joker, is a Chaotic Neutral Trickster Archetype Deity. He is generally depicted as a shadow-black bird wearing a tophat, with a crooked, enigmatic disposition and a fondness for riddles and lies. :His name is more often cursed than worshipped, though he can be popular amongst mischievous young children, thieves, or those who love riddles and games. Deities: GALARIS ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :GALARIS, The Evereaper, is a Lawful Evil Overseer Deity. He represents Death; both as an archetype and as a natural force. He has two roles: to collect the souls of the departed, and to watch over the realm of the Antilife, a black void where those who lived evil lives must spend as long as it takes to atone for their crimes. :He is depicted as a shadowy figure wearing a dark, ragged robe, wielding a huge scythe with which he cuts the silver cords of those on the brink of demise. His likeness is universally used in artwork to suggest death or dying, either in the sense of danger or just death by old age. Deities: KIKITH ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :KIKITH, The Plaguebringer, is a True Neutral Pestilence Archetype Deity. It is depicted as an enormous beetle with a skeletal motif, which billows black clouds of locusts from its throbbing abdomen, destroying all in its wake with plagues and disease. :It is called upon when someone wishes devastation upon an enemy, cursed when a plague is devastating people, and also called on for forgiveness in order to stop plagues or diseases. Deities: GIM-PALARCANUS ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :GIM-PALARCANUS: GIM-PALARCANUS, The Sorcerous Thaumaturge, is a True Neutral Archetype deity of universal magic. His depictions vary, but one of the most common is that of a wizard clothed in a hooded robe of stars, a long white tendril of a beard tumbling to the floor from the swirling void that is his face. :GIM-PALARCANUS: He is prayed to by spellcasters in general for greater success with their spells, or more magical power; things like that. Deities: ONEIROS ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :ONEIROS, The Dreamweaver, is a True Neutral aethereal deity, who has specific control and power over the Dreamrealm. It is usually portrayed as a huge whale-like beast, with iridescent skin like a shifting rainbow, which lulls to sleep and creates dreamscapes with its mesmerising song. :People pray to ONEIROS for a good night's sleep and pleasant dreams, and often seek out its counsel when trying to interpret particularly significant dreams that they may have had. Reptoids ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :Reptoids are a sentient, humanoid, reptilian race that tend to live in caves. They're rarely seen above the surface, or around human settlements; they tend to have a distasteful view of us and keep out of our way if they can. :They are noble and honourable, valuing politeness, calmness of mind and strength of will and body. They're hermaphrodites; every individual can potentially mate with any other, and they don't suffer significant hindering effects from pregnancy, meaning that breeding for them is vastly different to how it is for us. The Sun Temple ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :The desert west of Aeropolis used to be known as the 'badlands'. Rarely did people leave alive once they entered it. Bandits killed them. Lots of evil bandits. There was a lot of Dark influence in those parts, but nobody knew why. :Partly to satisfy their bizarre religious desires to be isolated, partly because nobody else would allow them to do this anywhere near them, but also to try to solve this problem, some Solakian priests decided to build a temple to SOLAK in the badlands. :It took ten years to build, but once it was done, the differences in the environment were strong and noticeable. The bandits became priests, and the barbaric reptoids became calm, polite and meditative. :This goes to show the power that the Light has to subdue the evils of Darkness. Shamans ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :The planet is a living creature, just like we are. It just isn't of the same *type* of life as we. While we have blood and bones, it has magma and rock. While we have organs, it has the Crystals. It, like us, has a mind, and needs. :Due to our vastly different natures, it is impossible for the Planet to communicate directly with we mere fleshlings, yet often it needs to tell us how to look after it. To solve this predicament, it uses the Shamans. :Shamans are individuals 'Chosen by Nature' to be the Planet's representatives; its mouthpieces, so that it is able to convey information to us. There is one per geographical region, and when one falls, a successor takes their place. :Shamans do not volunteer to be Shamans. That role is decided before their birth, but they don't know it until the shaman they take over from dies. :Shamans can have lifespans many times those of mortal humans due to the Planet's energy flowing through them. They're also granted the ability to use nature magic, and an innate 'geological empathy' to understand what the planet wants. :They don't talk with the Planet directly, but merely 'know' what it wishes, what must be done. The Astral Realm ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :When we die, our larval existence as a physical entity cessates, and we take on pure spirit form. We ascend to the Astral Realm, in preparation for a whole new kind of timeless, formless existence. :The Astral Realm is a place of pure thought, pure aether, where anything is possible. Imagining things causes them to appear, you can create whole towns with mere wishes... It's the realm that dreams happen in, except after death, you're aware and in control. Necropolises ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :Though it is possible to wander alone in the Astral Realm, making your dreams come true via beliefs alone, most people aren't simply thrust into the raw, open, chaotically writhing wilderness of the realm. :Instead, when they die, they ascend to a place which their religion taught them would be waiting for them. Heaven, essentially. It is exactly as their religion taught. :In truth, there are many of these 'Heavens' (known as Necropolises); all the afterlives spoken of in every religion actually exist. They range from serene palaces of pearl and gold, to blissful fields of flowers, to huge battlegrounds full of fresh monsters to slay. :They are formed inside 'bubbles' on the Astral Realm by deities, and exist as a form of reward, and a place of gathering for like minds who believed in the same 'Heaven'. :It is possible, once at a Necropolis, to leave, to ascend to higher planes or to reincarnate, but the time that souls can spend there is unlimited. Some never leave because they desire no more than what is there. :Skilled Astral Travellers can hop between different Necropolises as a traveller; an ability that offers limitless wonders, as it is said that lifeforms on other worlds have their own Necropolises too. The Antilife ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :The gods are not usually judgemental. However, guilt is a strong emotion. People are their own judges, and there are some who die full of guilt due to leading a life full of evil that they never really accepted. :These poor, tormented souls congregate at a place known as the 'Antilife'; a limitless black void of despair which is used for contemplation, seeking atonement. :The duration that they spend in this abyss is all up to the individual soul. They spend as long as they need there, and for some, this can be an eternity. :The Antilife is overseen by GALARIS, the Evereaper, who keeps a watchful eye over all who arrive. He doesn't punish them himself, but makes them quite aware of how bad their actions were by intensifying their negative emotions like fear, regret, and so on. To speed up the process, it seems. Reincarnation ''Found at: Aeropolis Library'' :We do not necessarily have to live only one life. It is true that we generally remember nothing from before we were born, but that doesn't mean that there wasn't anything from before we were born. :After death, souls are free to roam the Astral planes, or satisfy their desires and congregate with others in a Necropolis, but this goes on for a timeless eternity... :Boredom exists for some, and once they have literally done everything, there is nothing left to do. This is where reincarnation comes in. :They can decide to 'start anew' with fresh, empty minds, devoid of their old memories. They are still the same soul, but they do not realise once born that they're replaying the game; everything is new to them. :After death, their memories of all previous lives are restored, and they know who they are once more. This often leads to souls reincarnating again and again. :The reasons for reincarnating aren't necessary due to boredom and a desire for a new start, however. Some souls merely liked the limitations of the physical toil so much that they want to return for another go. :The reincarnation cycle can be neverending, though some souls do learn all that they possibly can from it, and ascend to the next level of existence, where a whole new reality beyond our comprehension exists for them to explore from scratch... Bookshelves in Saul's Dungeon ''Found at: Saul's Dungeon'' :This bookshelf is full of grim tomes about Necromancy, which really aren't worth looking twice at. What use would raising the dead ever be to you? Bookshelf ''Found at: Water Temple - Upper Rooms'' :It seems to be full of what seem like diaries, or records, and even what look like attempts at creative writing. You have no interest in reading them in detail; it's not like they'd say anything interesting or applicable to you or the plot, right? Bookshelf ''Found at: Water Temple - Upper Rooms'' :The books here are an assortment of fact and fiction, all of which could be considered light, entertaining reading. It looks like they've seen a lot of use; someone must have read them time and again due to having little else to do... That's the impression you get. Bookshelf ''Found at: Water Temple - Upper Rooms'' :These books are all fiction; many of them are the generic heroic adventure fare that your father used to read to you as a child, but many others are apparently romance novels? Not your sort of stuff, really. Bookshelf ''Found at: Water Temple - Upper Rooms'' :These books contain lessons in magic. Some of them seem to be aimed at children or beginners, while others are more technical and arcane. Bookshelf ''Found at: Water Temple - Upper Rooms'' :These books contain information on human social etiquette; manners and so on, intended, it seems, for those who lack the social interactions to pick them up naturally. Bookshelf ''Found at: Water Temple - Upper Rooms'' :These books contain detailed information about human cultures, from the standpoint of an observer, rather than one involved in them. They seem designed to educate those without experience in those cultures, perhaps to prepare them for an eventual immersion? Bookshelf ''Found at: Water Temple - Upper Rooms'' :There's a book about the Water Crystal, as well as many about various kinds of rules for Guardians. Inaccessible and empty bookshelves Some bookshelves cannot be reached in any chapter, due to obstructions by NPCs or terrain, or because the location can only be visited for a limited time. Other bookshelves can be reached, but cannot be interacted with; they are empty of content. List of inaccessible and empty bookshelves * A bookshelf in a Canonia house is blocked by an NPC. * A bookshelf in the Canonia Pub is empty. * A bookshelf in the Xantusia Inn is behind the counter. * Nine bookshelves throughout Aeropolis are empty. * A bookshelf in Saul's Dungeon is blocked. * All fourteen bookshelves in the Lost Monastery are either blocked or empty. Category:MARDEK Game Script